The invention relates to the field of electric arc breaker devices.
When breaking a circuit, an electric arc is struck between electrical contacts. The arc creates a back electromotive force (emf) in the network that tends to oppose the source of the network. In an alternating current (AC) network, the magnitude of the current passing through the terminals of the breaker equipment passes periodically through zero. For example, these passages of the current through zero take place every 10 milliseconds (ms) in a 50 hertz (Hz) network. When the current passes through zero, the conductive arc cools down suddenly and the ions of the plasma of the arc then recombine. This recombination takes place more or less quickly depending on the extinction technique (splitting or lengthening), on the degree of pollution, and on the type of plasma. This recombination enables the break to withstand the network voltage that is still present at its terminals. If that is not so, then a electrical breakdown restarts the arc in the break, until the next time current passes through zero.
An arc voltage greater than the network voltage enables this dielectric recombination phenomenon to be started sooner than the natural passage of the current through zero, thereby increasing the chances of breaking the current.
Nevertheless, a problem arises for existing breaker devices resulting from the possible erosion of electrical contacts by the electric arcs that are generated. This erosion can affect the lifetime of such breaker devices.
There therefore exists a need to have novel breaker devices available with improved lifetime, in which the erosion of contacts due to the electric arc is limited.